Socceroos stars say venue, training camp leaves no room for excuses

Key Socceroos all say that the facilities at their Russian camp will leave them with no excuses for failure over the next few weeks.

The team's hotel is virtually adjacent to their training ground and means they only have a walk of a few hundred yards to the arena they are using.

Massimo Luongo speaks to the media at their training base at the Stadium Trudovye Rezervy.

Photo: AAP

In addition, their complex in the team hotel is perfectly set up to allow them to prepare for matches and also relax in their downtime.

The players were involved in FIFA promotional work on Monday morning, but midfielder Massinmo Luongo said everything was in line for the team to be at their best against France in their World Cup opener on Saturday.

"We haven't quite settled in here yet but everyone is alright, I think now everything is focusing on the France game. We should all be quite conditioned. I don't know what training is installed, but I feel good and full of confidence.

"Its all in the same facility, in the same complex, the meeting rooms, training facilities, its all on our doorsteps.

"It makes it easier, you literally just get changed and walk out on the training pitch rather than spend half an hour travelling...its nice and chilled rather than 4.30pm here, then 5pm train ... We can work in our own time. You have got our rooms, social rooms for chilling, standard stuff," Luongo said.

Sometime skipper Trent Sainsbury said the venue reminded him of his earliest days with national teams.

"It reminds me a lot of Canberra, the AIS, where I had some of my fondest memories at.

"I’m well at home here . I’m enjoying it because I’m with the boys pretty much 24/7 and one of the things I look forward to when I come into camp is hanging around with the boys as much as possible."

“Facilities for training purposes are great and its always nice when you don’t have to travel form the training facilities. You’ve got the recovery centre, the chill-out room. Everything is in great order and everything is running smoothly.

“It brings a sense of calmness and comfort to it, the thought of not having to travel so far, getting on the bus. The more homely you can make it and stuff you have to keep yourself occupied, its what your looking for," Ryan said.

Michael Lynch, The Age's expert on soccer, has had extensive experience of high level journalism in the UK and Australia. Michael has covered the Socceroos through Asia, Europe and South America in their past three World Cup campaigns. He has also reported on Grands Prix and top class motor sport from Asia and Europe. He has won several national media awards for both sports and industry journalism.